Jump to content

RB44 FFR radios and equipment ? help needed and pictures please


majorweld

Recommended Posts

Hi

 

Can anyone help me try and discover what Radios , comms kit was fitted in the rear Comms pod of a FFR RB 44 ? , id love to possible return my vehicle to how it was , all the racking is in situ but i have no idea of what went where ? pictures would be fantastic if possible .

 

Many Thanks

 

Richy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 73
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Majorweld

 

I cant comment on this particular build as it wasn't one of the ones I saw intact at Withams - for what its worth the rails on the low shelf across the front look like they are 6 inch/15cm spacing centre to centre so will accommodate any of the RT321 HF radio, RT353 VHF radio, ATR adapter teleprinter radio, and DMU digital master unit. The mounting on the raised table beside the map board looks like the rails are 10 inch centre to centre which can only be the Amplifier RF 250W for UK/VRC-322 high power HF which would likely have had the TURF250W tuner mounted on top.

 

A further hint to the existence of the 250W amp will be a super-sized 2-pin power outlet somewhere on that side of the comms body.

 

Cabling-wise it makes sense to have the RT321 driver next to the 250W amp and tuner so I would suggest on the lower shelf mounting L to R a RT353, a RT353 and an RT321 - if you want you can mount a DMU on top of each 353 and an ATR on top of the 321, which will also drive the 250W amp and tuner.

 

Probably there is a document somewhere with the fitting instructions for this setup which will confirm or deny the theory if it can be found. But the map board suggests HQ rather than relay station and 2 x VHF nets with an HF rear link seems quite plausible.

 

Regards

 

Iain

73 de G0OZS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

 

The Clansman radio kit that fits the mounting rails is now all withdrawn from service (being fixed frequency and not encrypted so more dangerous to the operator than the enemy in a 'high intensity' conflict). Most of it has been disposed of by Withams and is finding its way through the e-Bay and dealer network to radio amateurs and vehicle owners. To use the Clansman equipment apart from the 250W UK/VRC-322 on transmit legally would require at least an intermediate amateur radio license (the foundation license is too restrictive) and the VRC322 with higher power output requires an advanced license. The courses and exams required are run by local radio clubs and are relatively cheap compared with a full complement of radios.

 

Quite a few people have installed but do not operate the equipment and don't seem to have any legal difficulties in FFR landrovers etc - if you were concerned about legality it wouldn't be too difficult to get a local radio amateur or ex REME radio technician convert the sets to receive-only operation (for example by disconnecting the press to talk connections on the headset/handset sockets). Receive only operation on the amateur and broadcast bands is completely lawful.

 

For pure display purposes there are in any case a lot of dead radios suitable for repair or display around as the general experience of those of us who bought direct from Withams was that about 40% were in need of repair as the Army seems to have replaced dead sets from surplus stock rather than mended anything in the last few years.

 

I hope this helps

 

Iain

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again , many thanks .

Im staggered at peoples knowledge on here and its most interesting to learn .

I have examined the circuit breakers and pins a little closer in the truck , there are 2 pin plugs and sockets but not sure if they are the 250w large or not , i will put up some more photos for someone more knowledgeable . I also notice there is extra racking bolted to the floor under the seat ? and other bolts on the sides with foam washers that looked like they held other things ? quite a lot of cables hanging everywhere , have a look and see what you think ?

 

Cheers

 

Majorweld

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Majorweld

 

The 250W amp required a 50A supply and the circular connectors were a little over an inch outside diameter with about 1/2 inch spacing between the two pins.

 

The other Clansman equipment generally used a 15A fused supply and the connector was about 1/2 inch diameter with pins on 1/4 inch or thereabouts pitch.

 

Hope this helps

 

Iain

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

 

I wouldn't expect more than 2 x RT321 in a single installation - I would more likely expect one HF setup RT321 on the right hand side with an Amp 250W + TURF 250W on the raised platform. The neighbouring slot could be a 2nd RT321 used as a receiver with a separate antenna for better reception or split frequency working, or possibly an ATR (Adapter Telegraph Radio) for data traffic, and 2 x RT353 for local VHF nets on the left hand side. £325 is expensive for a 321 - I have had working ones for around £200 off e-Bay - the 353s should be £75 to £100 in good working order. An amp and tuner will probably be £500 together if not more as they were relatively rare.

 

All of these except the 250W amplifier should run from the smaller 2 pin sockets on the distribution board (although you need to check the fuse ratings as the 353 needs 12A current so a 15A fuse). There is what looks like a large circular connector under the suspected amplifier position on the raised table to the right - if this is a 2 pin female it is likely the 50A supply for the amplifier.

 

Unfortunately the forum seems to have resized the pictures and I cant enlarge them to read any of the writing or examine the connectors :(

 

Iain

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

 

The right side box bottom row connectors SK 3/6/9/12/15 look like the normal 2 pin Clansman (15A max and circuit breakers with matching numbers are 6A). The upper two rows of 3 pin connectors I have never seen on any Clansman kit (they look a bit like the gas mask microphone plug but it can't be that on a power distribution box) so probably are for something newer or non radio - I would suggest hunting through the hundreds listed by http://www.thexmod.com for something that looks like them and then using the DSN (Z number) or Nato Stock Number to associate it with other equipment. Beware that this is a time consuming occupation leading to an expensive wish-list if successful ! Likewise 7 pin connectors SK16 and SK17 with 10A and 20A breakers are for something bigger but not as big as the 322 amplifier.

 

I'm beginning to wonder if the equipment on the raised mount at the right hand side was some kind of data terminal rather than the amplifier. Aside of anything else the 250W Amp has forced air fan cooling and is so noisy that one would prefer to operate it remotely rather than use it in the same room as any kind of manned HQ or plotting activity which the map boards suggest this vehicle was used for (in my radio hut it easily makes enough noise to transmit 100W when I am not talking!)

 

I cant quite read the text on the left hand boxes - it looks like the upper one has 8 of the 2 pin 15A Clansman outlets with circuit breaker ratings to match - this would fit with 4 Clansman radio bases along the front and potentially another powered item mounted on top of each radio. Seeing the circuit breaker ratings may give more of a clue - if anyone reading can interpret the handwritten "IDT1" AND "IDT2" it may help figure out what was there.

 

The bottom left box has what looks like the master switch and some hard wired (higher current? I think all the breaker reset buttons have 2-digit ratings) connections - it would be useful to get a close up view and read the text.

 

So more questions than answers I'm afraid !

 

Iain

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Looking at this comms box set up the one I have just bought has been fitted out to the same specifications its just missing the radios and the mapboard.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]70210[/ATTACH]

 

Does anyone have a spare box for the gap above plus the box to the side which isn't in place either?

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]70211[/ATTACH]

 

It has a few leaks from the top hatch which looks like a design fault as the water can pool in the recess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hi All, I just found this thread with wonderful pictures of a kitted

Comms Body for Rb44.

Myself I have a Rb44 with Comms Body that was kitted out for BMETS- Battlefield Meterological System.

And also for this type there were two different layouts in one regiment. BMETS were used two vehicles each Artillery regiment.Mine was for example with 3RHA here in Hohne, Germany.

Pictured here is one of a few BATES fittings. Battlefield Artillery Target Engagement System.

Means that is was a Artillery Command Post.

Main feature of this was the BATES terminal (Ruggedised Computer) which is mounted on the table with the slides.

The messages were then fed into the system via VHF connection. In this case 353s with DMUs.

BATES cabins had different numbers of antennaes, so you can distinguish different versions.

BATES was also installed in 432s, but just in armoured regiments. The rb44s were used for light gun regiments.

So that is how i see the story.

 

By the case , I am always searching for parts that fit into the cabin, as mine was stripped almost completly.

If anyone has something to offer?

 

Thanks for the pics.

Would it be possible to get closer pictures of the notices on the MAPBOARD?

 

Best Regards

Uwe

Edited by ferretmk1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Hi

 

Sorry been a while since i checked the forum .

 

Found out my truck is the BATES comms system .

I have had a lot of help from Cornishbloke who has the meterological sister truck to mine , he has REME contacts and a lot more knowledge than me .

 

I have scored a fair bit of kit to reinstall , still learning as i go . any manuals or reading material most appreciated ?

 

Would be amazzing to find the computer stuff you talk of ? have you any pics of such equipment ?

 

Good luck

 

;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As Rich says we are working on fitting out the insides of the comms bodies. It seems to me that we need to find an EMER which lays out the radio fit in the TUH similar to the ones which show how to set up the radios inside a Land Rover. Does anyone have a number as I am going to ring the Royal Signals museum on Monday to see what they have.According to my contact the BMETS gear was essentially Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) and a Finnish system. You can get the radio sondes quite easily for a fiver or so. Not sure that I fancy carting the gas around though.I've seen a number of different fits on the Comms bodies - mine has a 12m Clarke mast attached to the rear whereas some I have seen have a much heavier mast which lies flat on the roof. The BMETS receiver does not seem to need a mast and looks like a four leafed clover sitting on the ground.I have found a rugged laptop - a raytheon Chameleon - which comes with a data interface and looks the part. Does anyone know whether these are the ones.CheersRichard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...